Task Resolution System

[Skjaldbakka]

What do you guys think of using the following for a task resolution system?

A character has a number of "actions" based on his level. He can use an action to attack on his turn, or save them to 'actively dodge' attacks in the round. A level 1 equivalent character (I'm not sure if the system will wind up using levels) would have 1 level, whereas a level 20 eq. character would have in the neighborhood of 5 actions. Actions refresh on your initiative (which means you have none when 'flatfooted').


An attack would be a roll of X d10s, where X is equal to your skill. Skills would range from 0-10. Characters with no skill would roll 1d6. To each die, you add the appropriate attribute. Attributes range from 1-5. You are trying to hit a target number of opponent's dodge+dexterity attribute. Each die that hits that number is a success. The opponent can spend an action to dodge if he has one remaining, which would be the same mechanic, using his dodge+dex vs. your stat+skill as the DC.

[Reinboom]

What game is this for, or is this custom? It would be rather interesting, sure, if the rest of the system was fleshed out.
Though.. it might be too many dice.

also, this may give you some inspiration:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46164

[Skjaldbakka]

It is the first steps of a custom system I am working on. I think that coming up with the task resolution system is the first step. Do you really think that is too many dice? The most awesomest-er person in the world rolls 10 dice at the thing he is awesomest-er at.

[DracoDei]

Not really much harder to work with than Whitewolf's system, and that has been around a while and I don't see people complaining.... or at least I don't think it would be...

[Reinboom]

I just have a thing against a lot of dice :smalltongue:
Though, I do find storyteller to be fun (usually)..so.. who knows.

Well, one thing you should keep in mind when creating your system:
What next?
Storyteller, D20, and other popular systems all snap when you start hitting really high scale stuff.

It's a bit hard to follow though.
Step by step... (pretending shooting is a skill and dex is the stat with it)
You have a dex of 2, a shooting of 3, and a dodge of 2
Your opponent has a dex of 1, a shooting of 3, and a dodge of 4, and

You have, say, 3 actions.
You spend 2 actions to attack, and 1 to actively dodge.
You roll 3(1d10+2) - your opponent has a (dodge+dex) of 5, so, each time you roll at least 5, you hit.
You get to do this a second time.
Then you actively defend.

Your opponent has 2 actions.
They spend an action to attack back:
They roll 3(1d10+1) - you have a have a (dodge+dex) of 4 normally, BUT, since you actively defended, you roll instead for dodge 2(1d10+2) for.. each?
Then your opponent actively defends.

It seems, if I am understanding this right, early on - higher number of actions very very quickly overpower the opposing side. And, higher dice do as well.
You might want a buffer dice/action of 2 instead of 1. (start with everything at 2 dice, and start with 2 actions), or tweak the mechanics slightly.

[Skjaldbakka]

The way active defense works is as follows:

The opponent attacks, as normal, and you determine his total number of successes. You then roll your dodge skill (in the same manner the gunner rolled his firearms skill). You DC is his dex+firearms. Every success you gain negates one of his. You get to actively dodge one attack per action you hold back to do so. The idea was to put an outnumbered (or outclassed)opponent at a severe disadvantage. The current thoughts for 'scale' of actions per round is 1 at 1st, 2 at 3rd, 3 at 5th, 4 at 10th, 5 at 15th, 6 at 20th. Equivalent power scale, anyway, since it will be a point-based class* system, not a level-based class system.

*character class determining the point cost for buying specializations, which I haven't gotten to yet. They will be the equivalent to feats/class features. Skills and Attributes will be the same cost for each class.


~~~

So, some tweaks. This system may be getting a playtest tonight, in which case I will be posting even more. The Class system isn't worked out yet, so it will be a basic alpha test (or beta, I guess, since this is a re-working of a system I conjured up in high school). There will, in fact be level, all though it won't be a matter of power level, but more a matter of scale. Level determines how much damage you can shake off, and how many action you can take each turn, and how likely you will go first (unless the optional Initiative or Quickdraw skills are used). There are 5 levels (technically 5+1, with +1 being superheroes).

This is what level gives you:
For each level, you can take 1 hit without taking any injury ('just a flesh wound', 'don't worry about it, I'll be fine', lucky item in pocket takes the bullet, etc.). Taking injuries in this system is really bad, equivalent to taking ability damage in D&D.

For each level, you can take one action in a turn.

Basic initiative is a bid + roll system, so you can spend some of your actions for the turn to get a significant bonus to your intitiative. Initiative is rolled each turn by default.